Collar support



- Feb. 28, p ALEXANDER 1,899,602

COLLAR SUPPORT 7 Filed y 19, 195i S'H'UC u foz Patented Feb. 28,1933

PATENT OFFICE PAUL E. ALEXANDEROF TAKOMA PARK, MARYLAND coLm-a sorrow]:

Application filed May 19,

The invention relates to a new and improved device for use by launderers and manufacturers of gentlemens shirts with attached collars, for the purpose of insuring 5 delivery of the shirt with its collar in per-.

' feet condition.

It is customary to delivery the finished shirts boxed or wrapped and pinned upon laundry boards, often with no support for 10 the collars but frequently with strips of cardboard so'placed as to attempt to hold the collars in proper shape. Such prior supports however have proven to be entirely inadequate for the intended purpose,'-with the result that the collars become badlywrinkled or creased.

The object of my invention has been to provide a greatly improved yet an inexpensive support which may be quickly and easily inserted without danger of breakage andwill effectively support the collar in the shape which it assumes when being worn, even if an unusually large number of the shirts be packed one upon another.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a shirt with attached collar secured upon the conventional laundry board in readiness for delivery, the collar being held in perfect shape by one of the improved supports.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view more or less exaggerated and illustrating the simple manner of inserting the support between the inner and outer walls of the collar.

Fig. 3 is fa detail sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, illustrating the manner in which the support holds all portions of the collar except the points, perpendicular to the bosom and allows said points to take the same positions which they occupy when the shirt is being worn.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the supports.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view partly in elevation, illustrating the manner in which a number of the shirts provided with the sup- 1931. Serial No. 538,542.

ports, may be boxed without .danger of wrinkling or creasing the collars or the bosoms.

The invention is formed from a single strip 6 of glazed or unglazed cardboard, fibre board orany other material much stifier than the conventional shirt collar and having a sufficient degreeof stifl'ness to adequately sustain any reasonable amount of weight or pressure when standing on edge.

The strip 6 is adapted for insertion between 1 the inner and outer walls 7 and 8 of the collar and is of a length to extend substantially throughout the front half of the circumference of said collar. This strip is provided with a straight upper edge 9 for reception in the crease 10 at the upper edge of the collar, and said strip edge 9 is unidirectional throughout-its length. The lower edge 11 of the strip 6 is adapted to rest upon the shirt substantially at the base of the inner collar wall 7, an'd'said strip is provided with a vertically elongated notch 12 centrally disposed and openingthrough said lower edge 11, said notch being adapted to engage the usual collar button 13 which is permanently attached to the shirt collar. The end portions of the strip 6 are cut away in part, preferably by forming them with relatively large notches 14 whichopen through the lower edge 11 of said strip, thereby so weakening said end portions as to allow them to be easily twisted as illustrated in Fig. '2 when inserting and removing the support.

In applying the device, it is positioned in front of the collar with the collar points raised somewhat if necessary, the strip being then pushed downwardly to snugly seat behind the button 13. Then, with one hand, one point of the collar is swung upwardly (not necessarily to such an extent as illustrated in Fig. 2) and with the other hand,

stantially perpendicular to the 'shirt bosom and the laundry board B upon which the shirt is secured, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, the

upper edge 9 of the strip holding the upper 5 edge or crease 10 of the collar in a plane substantially parallel with the shirt bosom. The lower edge of the strip then rests solidly upon the shirt and hence the collar is held in proper shape. With the collar in this supported condition, it will sustain a great amount of weight or downward pressure without becoming wrinkled or otherwise unshapely, and it will be seen that the points of the collar lie orderly in such positions that there is no danger of them becoming distorted. The entire collar is supported in the shape which it assumes when the shirt is being worn and hence ill-fitting is overcome.

\Vhen packing a number of the shirts in a box or package, they may be placed as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 5, the properly sup orted collars insuring that the shirt bosbnis s iall not contact with each other with danger of becoming wrinkled.

I am fannliar with a device which has heretofore been quite extensively used, said device consisting of a V-shaped strip of card-- board inserted between the inner and outer walls of the collar and having a notch to engage the collar button. It is difiicult however to apply this support without breakage thereof and without spoiling the appearance of the collar. Then too, the device in question remains flat in use, necessitating that the. collar also shall lie flat, producing objectionable creases extending vertically from the shoulders of the shirt. The present invention however, supports the collar in the form which it assumes when the shirt is being worn, it is easily a plied and removed without danger of brea age, and its use does not form any vertical creases upon the collar. To remove the device, first one end and then the other thereof is gripped and ulled outwardly and twisted simultaneous y, causing it to readily slide out below the outer wall 8 without any danger of impairing the shape and appearance of the latter. Then, the strip is upwardly pulled from the button 13. It is preferable that the strip be of such hei lit that its ends will be accessible below the e ge of the collar as seen in Fig. 1, facilitating removal.

Excellent results have been obtained from the specific construction shown and such construction may therefore be followed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, minor variations may be made, and should it be desired, the device may be inserted upwardly in inverted podtion.

I claim 1. A device for supporting an attached collar of a shirt when the latter is secured upon a laundry board for delivery, comprising a one-piece strip of relatively stiff material between said central notch and the stri strip being provided with a lower edge adapted to rest upon the shirt substantially at the base of said inner wall to support said strip substantially perpendicular to the board-carried shirt, said strip being of a length to extend only throughout substantially the front half of the collar and having a substantially central downwardly open nlotch to receive the usual collar button of the s iirt.

2. A device for supporting an attached cola lar of a shirt when the latter is secured upon a laundry board for delivery, comprising a one-piece strip of relatively stiff material adapted for reception between the inner and outer walls of the collar and having a straight upper edge extending unidirectionally throughout its length for reception in the crease at the upperedge of the collar, said strip being provided with a lower ed e adapted to rest upon the shirt substantially at the base of said outer wall to support said strip substantially perpendicular to the 'board-carried shirt, said strip being adapted to extend throughout substantially the front half of the circumference of the collar and having a substantially central downwardly open notch to receive the usual collar button of the shirt, the end portions of said striip en s bein weakened to allow twisting of said end portions incident to inserting them between the inner and outer collar walls.

3. A device for supporting an attached collar of a shirt when the latter is secured upon a laundry board for delivery, comprising a one-piece strip of relatively stiff material adapted for reception between the inner and outer walls of the collar and having a strai ht upper edge extending 'unidirectiona y throughout its length for reception in the crease at the upper edge-of the collar, said notch to receive the usual collar button of the shirt, the end portions of said strip between said central notch and the strip ends having additional relatively large notches in the lower edge of the strip, said notches so weakening said end portions as to allow easy twistin thereof without breakage when inserting sald end portions between the inner and outer collar walls.

4. In combination with a meat board,

and a laundered shirt secured on said board and having an attached collar provided with the usual collar button; a one-piece strip of relatively stifi material between the inner and outer walls of said collar and resting upon the shirt substantially atthe base of said inner wall, said strip being perpendicular to said laundry board, extending only throughout substantially the front half of the collar and having its upper edge disposed in and in contact with the crease at the upper edge of the'collar, said strip being provided with a central vertical notch receiving the usual attaching means of said collar button; In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' PAUL E. ALEXANDER. I 

